PT-Symmetric Talbot Effects

TL;DR

This paper explores how PT-symmetric photonic lattices enable a novel class of self-imaging Talbot effects, with controllable imaging properties depending on system symmetries and gain-loss parameters.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of PT-symmetric Talbot effects and demonstrates how the imaging process can be controlled through system symmetries and gain-loss parameters.

Findings

Image revivals occur at Talbot lengths determined by the lattice properties.

At the symmetry-breaking point, revivals depend on passive lattice characteristics.

At the exact phase, the revivals are tunable via gain and loss parameters.

Abstract

We show that complex PT-symmetric photonic lattices can lead to a new class of self-imaging Talbot effects. For this to occur, we find that the input field pattern, has to respect specific periodicities which are dictated by the symmetries of the system. While at the spontaneous PT-symmetry breaking point, the image revivals occur at Talbot lengths governed by the characteristics of the passive lattice, at the exact phase it depends on the gain and loss parameter thus allowing one to control the imaging process.